Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to be very clear that there have been significant advancements and improvements. The Deputy specifically referenced primary school education in the context of the current Government. Specifically in terms of capitation, I want to acknowledge that the demands at primary level are very different to the demands at post-primary level. The demands at post-primary level are very different to the demands at primary level.

Notwithstanding that, I want to point to some of the advances in primary education. As I have already mentioned - historically this has never happened before - in three successive budgets we have seen the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools being reduced. In September of this year it will be at a historic low of 23:1. No other Government has ever made an advancement of that nature over three years of Government.

Second, free schoolbooks will be in operation in our primary schools from September of this year. This is a landmark move in education and it has never happened before. In terms of counselling services, which is an area that has never been provided for in primary school education, for the first time we are running a pilot across the country to make provision of that nature available. Hot school meals are being made available in our primary schools. This will be for the DEIS primary schools initially and will be in all our primary schools over time. There are significant advancements in the area of education for primary schools.

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